What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1439406
DECEMBER 26, 2021-JANUARY 1, 2022 WHAT'S UP! 3 FAQ 'An Officer And A Gentleman' WHEN — 7 p.m. Jan. 4-5; 1:30 & 7 p.m. Jan. 6; 8 p.m. Jan. 7; 2 & 8 p.m. Jan. 8; 2 p.m. Jan. 9 WHERE — Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville COST — $41-$82 INFO — 443-5600, waltonartscenter.org BONUS — A pre-show cocktail class, set for 6:30 p.m. Jan. 7, includes two show-themed cocktails. Cost is $35, and space is limited. 'Love Lifts Us Up' Wes Williams makes iconic role his own The new musical version of "An Officer and a Gentleman," starring Wes Williams (left), features an iconic score that includes "Up Where We Belong," "Higher Love" "Owner of a Lonely Heart," "Love is a Battlefield," "Lost In Your Eyes," "Fly By Night" and more. In the storyline familiar to fans of the 1980s film, Zack finds comfort in the arms of a strong-willed local factory worker, played by Mia Massaro. (Courtesy Photos/Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade) COVER STORY BECCA MARTIN-BROWN NWA Democrat-Gazette I magine a sandy-haired, sweet- faced boy, middle-school age, waiting backstage before his acting debut in the smallish city (population 20,000) of Lexington, S.C.. He auditioned only because he had a crush on a girl, and cast in the lead, he was "mortified for the entire rehearsal process because I was so nervous." "Then on opening night I heard the audience from behind the curtain, and something changed," remembers Wes Williams. "I decided then and there that I'd pursue theater." Not so many years later, Williams is once again playing a leading role, this time as Zack Mayo in the musical version of "An Officer and a Gentleman." It's his first tour — stopping Jan. 4-9 at the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville — and he's the first actor to play the role in a completely revamped version of the show. Based on the 1982 film starring Richard Gere, the plot still focuses on Zack's journey of self-discovery. "While the show had two prior iterations in the UK and Australia, our production started from scratch: A new book, a new score, and a new perspective," says Williams. "Originating a role has always been a dream of mine, and being able to experience that so early in my career has been invaluable. For every bit of terror, there is twice as much gratitude for how rewarding it has been. The creative team has been an absolute dream to collaborate with, and they were incredibly willing to work with me on all sorts of aspects: what keys certain songs of mine are in, occasional melodic liberties, saying specific lines in my own words, etc. I really can't express enough how artistically fulfilled I feel. These are definitely huge See Officer Page 4 Look Here! See video from the new tour of "An Officer and a Gentle- man" at nwaonline. com/1226officer/